As the slope flattens the ranges in the circle are considerable. Probably enough to cause a miss if an animal size area cannot be lazed?

On mine, you typically have to have a pretty good target in the circle. Random sloping ground with a big range in the circle usually won't give you a reading (for good reason). But pick a tree, animal, rock, log etc. to give you a good reading and it will repeat the same reading over and over again.

AJ

__________________
If some is good and more is better, then too much is just right.

My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought, cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives

Not being in the field and actually used the swaro and from my experience only with other brands I'm trying to get a better feel for what you are saying.

There is an elk in huntinfool18's first image. Up and to the right of the aiming circle in a bit of a clearing.

The elk is a nice 6X6 just for the score about 394.68;) its the last day of the season and your first opportunity for a shot so there is a lot riding on this one. No pressure, eh You know you can make the shot under the atmos conditions at that distance if you know the range precisely.

Oh Yeah, huntingfool18 is busy at work and you said you were just dropping by to look at the horse.;)

The circle includes the elk, the juniper behind it, the shadow to the right and a bit beyond and part of the juniper in front.

All I want to know is does the swaro from a steady rest always range the elk? At that distance accurate ranging or the ability to use body english is critical.

Not to be a pain, just trying to figure things out. Thanks.

__________________I may be the slowest guy on the mountain . . . . but . . . . I'm on the mountain!

I've never had a problem getting repeatable readings with mine, I would wager that I would be able to get a repeatable reading on the Juniper, the elk and a shadow in the background. With 3 repeatable readings that made sense I'd be very comfortable shooting the elk (even though he's not even a 400 bull ;-))

I've really only used mine out in long range country for a total of 12 days but the only ranging problem I have had was in flat terrain in bright sunshine with no real target. We tried to range a dark spot on the desert about 1300yds and couldn't get a reading. I was able to range some cows repeatedly in the same conditions at more than 2000 (they were big Angus, easy targets out in a big hay field).

Thats not to say that you don't sometimes get a --- for a range, but its normally when I'm not holding it steady and its reading 3-4 different things at once because of my wobble. I've never had to use a tripod with mine and have ranged and taken shots up to 1500yds with it.

HTH,

AJ

__________________
If some is good and more is better, then too much is just right.

My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought, cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives

It really helps all rangefinders to have a perpindicular surface to range, any slope, especially away from you, causes problems.

I am amazed at how well the rangefinders do for what we pay for them. My Bushnell ranges stuff that is a lot further away than it is rated for. I've ranged items that were nearly twice the predicted useable range.

I have always had it work inside its useable range, even on wet animals.

Mine is one of the lower cost models, (I think I paid $399 4 years ago) and yet it still works great.

I WANT a good one, just haven't become a good enough shooter to justify it yet!

Bill

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.